Derek Marks is NCAA runner-up in discus

May 22, 2008

Tommie senior Derek Marks picked up eight team points as he placed second in Thursday's discus event at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Oshkosh, Wis. Teammate P.J. Theisen added one point with an eighth-place finish in the long jump in 22-7 1-4.

Marks, a native of Lakeville, earned his second career All-America honor. Marks placed eighth in the event in 2006 as a sophomore and ninth in the event in 2007 as a junior. He threw 172-2 Thursday for second in the 16-man field. That was a career-best by two inches and ranks fourth on the Tommies' all-time list.

UW-Whitewater senior Dan Hytinen won the discus with a meet-record toss of 196-2.

Theisen also qualified for Saturday's nine-man 400 hurdles finals as he won his heat in 52.90, the sixth-best qualifying times. Theisen missed the 2007 season with an injury and placed third at nationals in 2006.

Tommie junior Matt Boumeester qualified for Saturday's 12-man finals in the 1,500 meters. He had the third-best prelim time in 3:54.88.

The Tommies' 4x100 relay unit of Chris Bradford, Sam Moen, Phil Bastron and Joe DeFrance missed the finals as it clocked 41.40 for 10th out of 15.

On the women's side, the Tommies' 4x100 relay team of Shionna Evans, Nikki Arola, Kate Staat and Jenna Ewing missed the finals as it clocked 48.23 for 12th of 15 teams in the prelims. But UST advanced its 4x400 relay to the finals in 3:51.16 with Raynee DeGrio, Evans, Arola and Katie Theisen.

St. Thomas has had either a men's or women's relay team dvance from the prelims to the NCAA finals 27 years in a row.

Arola was unable to reach the finals in the 200 meters as she ran 25.24.

Several other Tommies are competing Friday. Click here for updated results:

http://www.raceberryjam.com/ncoutwomenevt.html

Derek Marks

P.J. Theisen

 

Matt Boumeester